These 20-minute Peanut Noodles with Chicken, Thai-style creamy peanut sauce and crunchy red cabbage make a perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
Quick and easy is the only way I’m getting any cooking done on weeknights.
Between work, blogging, trying to squeeze in a workout, and making sure I catch the latest episode of Real Housewives, I’m really strapped for time in the evenings… 😉😉😉
So I’m always on the hunt for dinners that take 30 minutes or less. Here’s a dinner plan that takes just 20 minutes.
Spicy sesame noodles with chicken and peanuts…
Things couldn’t be easier with this dish. While your pasta boils away, your chicken poaches right next to it in its own pot of boiling water. This whole process is totally hands off, leaving you free to prepare the amazing sesame-peanut sauce in the meantime.
Let’s talk about that peanut sauce…
It’s tangy, creamy and can be made with ingredients you likely may already have in your cupboard – A bit of red wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, peanut butter, and just a bit of hot chili oil for some heat.
I kept things on the mild side here. However, if you like things extra spicy (like me) feel free to customize your bowl by drizzling a bit of extra chili oil (or my homemade chili crisp) over the top at the end.
Reader
Love
The BEST recipe that is incredibly easy to do. Instead of chicken breast, I use ground chicken and cook it in a little bit of the sauce to get it to that perfect flavoring. Awesome meal that’s quick and easy and even the most picky of individuals will love it.
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Thai Peanut Sauce ingredients
- Garlic
- Peanut butter
- Red wine vinegar – You can also substitute apple cider vinegar or a splash of lime juice.
- Soy sauce – Or, swap in some of my homemade kecap manis for a sweeter version.
- Hot chili oil – You can leave this out if you prefer less heat. Or, swap in this homemade chili crisp for a little crunch!
- Honey – Or, maple syrup or agave syrup.
- Vegetable oil – Or, avocado oil or canola oil.
Noodle ingredients
- Chicken breast – You can also use ground chicken or turkey for this recipe.
- Linguini – You can use any pasta here – spaghetti, fettuccini, etc. Or, use rice noodles for a more authentic version of these peanut sesame noodles. You can also use udon noodles, soba noodles, or ramen noodles.
- Red cabbage
- Scallions (aka green onions)
To add some crunch and color to these chicken peanut noodles, I tossed in some red cabbage. A sprinkling of scallions over the top finishes things off and makes these bowls not only ready for their glamour shots, but for slurping too.
I’m in no way graceful when I’m eating these peanut sauce noodles, or any kind of pasta really. All manners are out the door when noodles are involved. And if it’s ramen or dan dan noodles – I definitely need a bib.
You know how they give you lobster bibs? There should totally be noodle bibs too. Tell me I’m not alone here…
How to make chicken peanut noodles
- Cook chicken: Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil (one for the pasta, one for the chicken). Once boiling, add chicken, cover pot, and remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes to poach the chicken.
- Boil pasta: Add linguini to the other pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
- Make peanut sauce: Combine garlic, peanut butter, vinegar, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, soy sauce, chili oil, honey, vegetable oil and ¼ cup water in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Shred chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Toss it all together: Drain linguini and return to the pot, toss with the remaining 1 tbsp. sesame oil. Add shredded chicken, red cabbage and sauce mixture and toss to combine. Serve garnished with green onions and additional hot chili oil, if desired.
Variations
- Vegetarian: You can leave out the chicken, or try swapping in this spicy peanut tofu.
- Shrimp: Try swapping out the chicken for some sauteed shrimp.
- With Extra Veggies: Add in some roasted broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, red bell pepper, spinach, etc. to get some extra veggies in.
- Spicy: Add some heat by stirring some sambal oelek or red pepper flakes into your finished dish. Or, top it with some of this homemade chili crisp!
How to make ahead + store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet, adding a splash of water, if needed.
What to serve with them
Erin’s wine pairings
- Riesling, Gewürztraminer: Look for a white wine with just a hint of sweetness to it – It’s a great way to tame down the heat in this dish.
- Rosé is another great match – It’s acidity, and light body will pair nicely with the peanut sauce. (Here are some great rosé wines under $10)
More peanut sauce recipes
More noodle dishes
Did you try these chicken peanut noodles?
If you loved these sesame peanut noodles with chicken, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.
Full Recipe
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast
- 12 ounces linguine
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
- 6 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot chili oil (plus additional for serving)
- 4 teaspoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 4 scallions (thinly sliced)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil (one for the pasta, one for the chicken). Once boiling, add chicken, cover pot, and remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes to poach the chicken.
- Add linguini to the other pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine garlic, peanut butter, vinegar, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, soy sauce, chili oil, honey, vegetable oil and ¼ cup water in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken.
- Drain linguini and return to the pot, toss with the remaining 1 tbsp. sesame oil. Add shredded chicken, red cabbage and sauce mixture and toss to combine. Serve garnished with green onions and additional hot chili oil, if desired.
Notes
- Vegetarian: You can leave out the chicken, or try swapping in this spicy peanut tofu.
- Shrimp: Try swapping out the chicken for some sauteed shrimp.
- With Extra Veggies: Add in some roasted broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, red bell pepper, spinach, etc. to get some extra veggies in.
- Spicy: Add some heat by stirring some sambal oelek or red pepper flakes into your finished dish. Or, top it with some of this homemade chili crisp!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet, adding a splash of water, if needed.
Nutrition
More quick dinner recipes
This post was originally published in 2017. It was updated in 2023 to add new content. The original thai peanut noodles with chicken recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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